A new Pokèmon animated web series, based on the mysterious Hisui region, is in development. Pikachu and Co. have shown no signs of slowing down, with the franchise remaining as popular as ever nearly three decades after its conception, dominating its competition with a slew of video games, animated adventures and, of course, endless merch. The franchise also achieved moderate box office and critical success with a 2019 live-action movie with a loose adaption of the Detective Pikachu video game, starring Ryan Reynolds and Justice Smith.
While the franchise has remained popular with its on-screen adaptations, it's in the game department that Pokèmon has remained a stalwart of the RPG genre. In the last year alone, the series has seen two major releases, the standout being Game Freaks' first foray into an open-world Pokèmon adventure, Pokèmon Legends: Arceus. The game offered a small glimpse of what the series could be, taking place centuries before modern Pokèmon games and boasting all-new mechanics, making it the freshest entry in a long time. Gameplay aside, one of the most interesting aspects of Pokèmon Legends: Arceus turned out to be its location, with the game set in the Hisui region, a feudal version of the franchises popular Sinnoh region.
And now, the Hisui region will be explored further in an animated series. Announced as part of the Pokèmon Day celebrations by The Official Pokemon Youtube Channel, a new web series based on the game's fresh take on Sinnoh is in development, with the series set to debut later in the year. While no trailer was revealed, a stunning image of an adventurer walking the wilds of Hisui pursued by a Hisuian Zorua, was shown off.
There's been many Pokèmon animated shows and movies over the years, but perhaps the best adaptions of the video games have been the series that stray away from Ash Ketchum and his adventures. While Ash and his ever-changing roster of friends have been at the forefront of the animated Pokémon world, several mini-series have taken the Pokémon universe in new and interesting directions over the years. A Hisui series will no doubt continue the success of other Pokémon web series, thanks to its mysterious and refreshing setting further confirming that Legends: Arceus is the most interesting entry in the franchise in a long time.
But while a Hisui-based series is exciting news for Pokèfans, perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Pokèmon Direct was the announcement of the game's 9th generation. The surprise trailer not only showed the generation's adorable new Pokèmon starters, but also revealed that the game would incorporate more open-world features, similar to those found in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. With the franchise continuing to move forward in the game and animated departments, a live-action Netflix show is also reportedly in development, although it won't be a continuation of the Detective Pikachu movie. The upcoming Hisui series is the latest exciting news for Pokémon fans, as the franchise finds itself in the best position its been in years.